Chapter 183 The Hughes Family Opens a New Music Store
Juniper glanced away from the photo, her expression calm. "Yeah, it does feel like we have a connection."
"I feel the same about you, Juniper!" Paloma chimed in.
Owen just watched them, his eyes drifting to the garden as he got lost in his thoughts.
Catherine turned to Paloma with a smile. "Your hairpin is gorgeous. Can I take a closer look?"
"Sure thing! Dominic mentioned you study jewelry design, right? This hairpin was crafted by a master jeweler. It's pretty artistic," Paloma replied.
Catherine gently took the hairpin from Paloma's head, admired it for a bit, then handed it back. "Thanks."
"No problem."
After a while, Catherine and Juniper stood up to leave.
Owen quickly spoke up, "Why the rush? You just got here. Stay a bit longer."
Catherine smiled politely. "We were just passing by and have already disturbed you for a while. Juniper and I need to head home for dinner."
Owen knew he had no reason to keep them, but he didn't want them to go. "Juniper, can I get your number? Maybe you can come hang out sometime?"
"Sure, I'll be working at a research institute in Imperia City. If it's convenient, I might drop by for a meal, and you can't kick me out!" Juniper said with a grin.
The biggest research institutes in Imperia City were near the Harrison Estate, and the labs connected to Phoenix Lab were also close by.
Owen's face lit up with joy, his wrinkles almost disappearing with his smile. "Of course, you must come. If anyone tries to kick you out, I'll fight them!"
As they walked out of the estate, Juniper let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Catherine straddled her motorcycle and handed something to Juniper.
"What's this?" Juniper asked.
"Paloma's hair."
Catherine had snagged it when she took out Paloma's hairpin, enough for a DNA test. "Didn't you say you trust DNA more? Owen also secretly kept the spoon you used."
Juniper hadn't noticed. She slapped her forehead as if she remembered something important. "Are the cells on the spoon enough? Should I secretly drop a few hairs in?"
"That sounds good," Catherine said.
Juniper quickly pulled a few hairs from her head and put them in a sealed bag. "Catherine, wait for me!"
She ran back to the estate and crouched in front of Owen, panting heavily. "Here, the spoon might not be enough!"
Owen was caught off guard, his face turning red. "Well, that's not what I meant."
"It's okay, call me when you get the results. See you!"
Watching Juniper's quickly retreating figure, Owen looked at the hair in his hand and suddenly laughed. "She's got a great personality. I like her!"
Late at night, at The Windsor Mansion.
On the video call, Sophia was sprawled out on her bed, looking despondent. "Miss! Oscar is arriving in Imperia City tomorrow! We have to pick him up!"
"The Hughes Family invited the king of stone gambling?" Catherine asked.
Master Oscar, the previous king of stone gambling, had uncovered countless valuable stones, earning a great reputation. He couldn't stand anyone using the title of king of stone gambling to tarnish his name and deceive others!
Sophia scoffed, "The last king of stone gambling is on a plane across the ocean, and the current one is right in front of me. No one is better than me. Who dares to call themselves the king of stone gambling? That Michael from the Hughes Family is really something. He got into trouble with you and Mr. Howard last time and still hasn't learned his lesson. He's holding a public stone gambling auction tomorrow, and the Hughes Family didn't give him a hard time because of the king of stone gambling title."
What happened at Owen's birthday banquet alone would be enough to get Michael kicked out of the Hughes family several times over.
"And that Esme, her biological dad is supposedly an adopted son of the Hughes Family, but he's really just a nobody. Does she seriously think she's an heir?" Sophia scoffed.
Catherine looked up, curious. "What's going on?"
"She's really pushing it. Her gallery got bought by Mr. Howard and given to you, and now she's opened a new music store right across from yours!" Sophia's mouth twitched in annoyance.
Catherine stayed calm. "Is it big?"
"It's about the same size as your music store, just with fewer instruments, but it's in a better location."
Catherine nodded. "It's mine now."
Sophia's brain short-circuited for a moment. "Really?"
"Any objections?"
"Nope, I'll go buy back your music store right away." Sophia was thrilled, thinking, 'When Catherine goes full bandit mode, Esme doesn't even know what hit her! Catherine dares to claim the Galactic Aurora Collective, so what's a music store?'
"Tomorrow, go pick up Oscar. Don't try to run away," Catherine ordered.
Sophia, thinking about her soon-to-be-worthless acting career, sighed dejectedly. "Got it!"
After ending the video call, Catherine looked at the gently fluttering curtains and coldly mocked, "When did Mr. Howard need to use the balcony?"
The floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony opened from the outside, and Alexander, wearing a robe, stepped in. His silk robe parted slightly with his movements, revealing a well-toned chest and the faint outline of abs. "I was worried you were asleep, so I didn't dare knock."
"If you come through the window, I'll wake up just the same," she said.
As an assassin, Catherine's senses were always on high alert. Whether someone knocked on the door or climbed through the window, she would wake up immediately and be on guard.
Alexander walked into Catherine's room, propped his hands on her bed, and looked down at Catherine, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Catherine must have bathed recently; she smelled faintly of fragrance, her hair spread out on the bed, looking stunning and alluring.
Alexander's voice was filled with grievance as he spoke softly, "I just missed you. Since coming back from Ironclad Jail, you haven't spoken to me, and you didn't reply to my messages."
Catherine looked at Alexander in front of her, thinking, 'When did Alexander become so clingy? He used to just watch me from his room, but now he is climbing through windows to find me!'
Facing Alexander's intense and burning gaze, Catherine had no choice but to tell the truth. "I didn't have time to check my phone in the afternoon, and it was too late to reply."
"You went to Owen's house?" Alexander asked. He had seen her and Juniper leave on a motorcycle and guessed she would go find Paloma.
"Yes. Our previous suspicions were mostly correct. Paloma doesn't remember anything. She doesn't remember Evander or Juniper," she said.
"Can I tell my grandpa? Is that okay?"
"Do as you please, but this is Juniper's matter. You should ask her."
Alexander nodded. "I will. But it's too late now. I'll do it tomorrow."
'He knows it's late now? Then what is he doing in my room!' she wondered.
Seeing Catherine's accusatory expression, Alexander gently tapped her nose, his voice indulgent. "Will you attend the Hughes Family's stone gambling event with me tomorrow?"
If Catherine had replied to his messages, he wouldn't have come over at this hour. It seemed that when it came to her, his usually strong self-control was slipping.
Catherine had planned to attend the stone gambling event anyway. "Alright, now you can leave. I need to sleep!"
Alexander's lips curled up slightly, his voice seductive. "How about..."
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